The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has hit back at aviation unions threatening a “warning strike” over allegations that carriers owe unremitted Ticket Service Charges to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), dismissing the claim as baseless.
In a statement issued on Monday, the AON said they have no transactional relationship whatsoever with the unions and that they do not speak for, nor on behalf of, the NCAA. The airlines then urged the unions to verify their facts before taking action that could cause hardship on the traveling public.
The airlines said the high cost of jet fuel prices and the multiple aviation charges they have to pay are pushing operators toward the brink, pointing to IATA’s own findings that Nigeria has among the most expensive aviation charge regimes in the world. AON insisted its engagement with the NCAA remains active and constructive through direct regulatory channels and warned that anyone who disrupts flight operations or endangers passenger safety will be held responsible for the consequences.
The statement reads: “We want to clearly state that the AON has no transactional relationship whatsoever with these unions on this matter. To the best of our knowledge, they do not speak for, nor on behalf of, the NCAA. Those behind these threats have been misinformed, and we urge them to seek facts from the appropriate quarters before taking any action capable of inflicting needless hardship on the traveling public.
“AON members as pariotic Nigerians and legitimate investors in Nigeria’s economy and contributors to the economic development of Nigiera under President Bola Tinubu and we remain fully committed to the safety and seamless travel experience of all Nigerians. We will therefore not be distracted by threats, misinformation, or manufactured crises.”
